How can vertical gardens contribute to better air quality in Hunts Point New York? Problem By: Lofudu Tshumamboya Scope of design My research focuses on When the sun's ultraviolet rays react with oxides of utilizing vertical gardens to improve air nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds Capstone 18’ Professor Famulari quality. This project incorporates vertical (VOCs), ground-level ozone is formed. The main gardens into an urban landscape. The source of VOCs and NOx is mobile sources, including purpose of implementing vegetative trucks, cars, construction equipment, buses and designs is to improve air quality in Hunts agricultural equipment. Ground-level ozone causes point New York. Specific have been slight inflammation and can cause constriction of the carefully chosen based, in part, on Dr. airways, forcing the respiratory system to work Wolverton's research recorded in his book harder to provide oxygen. A complex mixture of called “How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 particulate matter (PM) contains dust, soot, nitrates, Houseplants that Purify Your Home Or Office.” Upon conducting his research on, smoke, sulfates, water, tire rubber and metals. PM Capstone goals breathable lunar environments, Dr. can be emitted, as smoke from a fire, or it can form in The New York City Community Air Survey (NYCCAS) sites Wolverton discovered that some the atmosphere from nitrogen oxides. The were measured four times a year, once every seasons. houseplants the best at filtering common Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management Seasonally adjusted street-level PM2.5 levels pollutants. This project utilizes his method District states “The size of particles is directly linked declined by an average of 0.4 micrograms per cubic for air purification and intends to lower PM to their potential for causing health problems. Small meter (μg/m3) per year, and by 16% over the six-year 2.5 levels by 4% within a year. particles (known as PM2.5 or fine particulate matter) period. According to a study (Assessing the Capacity of pose the greatest problems because they bypass the Species to Accumulate Particulate Matter ) done by body’s natural defenses and can get deep into your several scientists in in Beijing, , the average PM lungs and potentially your bloodstream. Exposure to accumulation through plant material is 62.0 μg/cm3. It was such particles can affect both your lungs and your then estimated that up to 50% of deposited particles may heart.” become re-suspended. My goal is to decrease the levels of PM 2.5 by 5.1 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3) per year. Site Information Concept plan/Existing site Location: By: Lofudu Tshumamboya 1163 Garrison Ave. The project site is a 8,505 sq. ft parking lot Bronx, New York 10474 Capstone 18’ Professor Famulari located on 1163 Garrison Avenue. The property Hunts Point is within a mile radius of three public schools. It (Between Faile Street & is also within a mile radius of the 6, 2 and 5 Garrison Avenue) trains located in multiple areas. According to NY Latin culture magazine, the Bronx is known Bridge: I-278, Bronx, N as the heart of Latin culture in New York City. The New York Yankees, the Bronx Zoo, the NY Botanical garden, the quaint maritime village of City Island, the cultural attractions of Fordham and the “real little Italy” are all located in Bronx, New York.

• Public transportation is available • Family owned businesses are easily accessible (community) • Commute to location from other areas of the Bronx is possible (short commute for Bronx residents) • The location is placed in a culturally diverse neighborhood (diverse food, culture, interests etc.) • The city never sleeps- There will always be people around this location. The city is energetic • This location is a relatively residential area Panting plan/ Plant list/ Planting materials Botanical Name Common Name By: Lofudu Tshumamboya Arbutus unedo 'compacta' Compact Strawberry Bush Bouteloua dactyloides Buffalo Grass Bouteloua gracilis Blue Gamma Grass Capstone 18’ Professor Famulari Cercis canadensis Eastern RedBud Fast growing Euonymus coloratus Purple Wintercreeper (Annual Vines & woody plants) Festuca arundinacea Tall Fescue Festuca rubra Red Fescue Botanical Name Commn Name Height Fraxinus pennsylvanica Green Ash Asarina scandens Climbing snapdragon 6-9' Hedera helix English Ivy Humulus scandens Japanese hops 5-15' Hemerocallis hybrid Ipomoea purpurea Common morning glory To 10' Ilex cornuta Carisa Holly Ipomoea quamoclit cypress vine 8-10’ Juniperus procumbens Juniper Lathyrus odoratus annual sweet pea 2-6’ Tulbaghia violacea Society Garlic ropaeolum majus climbing nasturtium 4-6’ Nitrate Juncus effuses Soft Rush Spirodela polyrhiza Giant duckweed Typha latifolia Broad-Leaved Cattail Typhha angustifolia Narrow Leaved Cattail

Sodium Eucalyptus camaldulensis River Red Gum Eucalyptus Tre Entrance and boarders (Annual 3ft or more) Aroma Garden list ( Fragrant plants ) Botanical Name Commn Name Botanical Name Common Name In this capstone project, plant Juniperus Juniper Abutilon x hybridum Flowering maple Melissa officianalis Lemon balm material is selected based on its Matricaria chamomilla Chamomile Pennisetum setaceum Fountain Grass Eucalyptus globulus Eucalyptus ability to filter toxins. Other plant Laurus nobilis Bay laurel Platanus occidentalis American sycamore Thymus vulgaris Thyme C.sinensis Tea plant material is selected based on aroma, Rosmarinus officinalis Rosemary Mentha Mint Quercus variabilis Chinese cork oak and all by hardiness zones. Ocimum basilicum Basil Origanum majorana Marjoram B. papyrifera Paper birch Gardenia jasminoides Gardenia Dianthus Dianthus Ailanthus altissima of heaven Clematis terniflora Sweet Autumn Clematis Nicotiana tabacum Nicotiana Sophora japonica Japanese pagoda Lilium orientalis 'Stargazer' Oriental Lily Fraxinus mandschurica Calendula officinalis Calendula Manchurian ash Lavandula Lavender Morus alba White mulberry Jasminum Jasmine Rosa Roses sinensis Chinese mahogany Pelargonium Scented Geraniums Master plan/ Perspectives By: Lofudu Tshumamboya Capstone 18’ Professor Famulari

• The main design garden area consists of 3 rows of vertical garden. • The design is made to replicate an urban landscape • The large windows on the north side of the garden provide a view that allows visitors to gaze upon the vertical gardens placed on the bridges reinforcement pillars • The west side of the garden is decorated with a fountain area, seating, and plant material • The parking lot features large stones that accent the large and small greenery • Faile Street is designed with vertical growth along parallel retaining walls which allow pedestrians to enjoy the site Isokinetic extraction: • Underneath Bruckner express way features • Purpose is to capture particles that pass through a defined area for a defined Piolet project time without disturbing their paths. • Before construction and planting is done, % of pm 2.5 is measured vertical gardens that contain pollution eating • The velocity of the air going into the sampling probe nozzle is equal to the using the Extech VPC300. The VPC300 is a Video Particle Counter plants velocity of the undisturbed air at that point. with built-in Camera.It simultaneously measures and displays 6 • The air is disturbed as little as possible so that the same particles (no more and channels of particle sizes (down to 0.3µm), Air Temperature, no less) go into the nozzle as would have passed the area of the nozzle had it Humidity and Dew Point not been there. • PM2.5 is measured by the principle of isokinetic extraction